Photo and Print Replicas

DNR, White Earth Nation search for invasive snails

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the White Earth Nation are looking for further evidence of a snail that carries a parasite that can kill waterfowl.

DNR Southern District spokesman Barry Stratton tells KBRF radio (http://bit.ly/r11BGJ ) that faucet snails were discovered in leeches being sold at a bait shop in the Otter Tail/Becker County area. Stratton says six of 20 ponds checked so far contained the snails. The ponds are on tribal land or in northern Becker County. Additional inspections are under way.

White Earth officials have temporarily closed the infested tribal land ponds to public access. The DNR is currently in the process of designating the faucet snail as a prohibited invasive species. The snails were first found in Minnesota's Lake Winnibigoshish in 2007.